Strange as it may seem, Microsoft is preparing a very interesting service that allows you to migrate apps and app data between different mobile OSes. This is according to a patent application filed back in November 2010. It appears that MS will provide a service that will analyze the apps you have installed on an Android device for example and then search for similar ones in the Marketplace.
Since I think you know where I’m going with this, let me just say it: Microsoft will let you buy and install those exact same apps that you had on Android with a single click, so you can restore your previous experience on another device with another OS. If there’s no corresponding app in the Marketplace you’ll get suggestions for third party alternatives. If the app simply has no alternative, the service remembers this and will notify you in the future as soon as something similar appears.
The Redmond company also envisions a solution that would migrate the app data to your new Windows Phone from the previous platform, with the apps installation included. The problem here is a very common restriction: one OS can’t access other platform’s application data, at least not in the official form. The jailbroken and hacked platforms probably allow it… Anyway, MS has a great idea, but let’s see it turned into something real, before being too happy about it…
